Industry loses legend: Hotel industry pioneer Jack DeBoer passed away on March 12 in Wichita, Kansas, at the age of 90. He was known for creating niche products that included extended-stay and all-suite concepts with brands such as Residence Inn, Summerfield Suites, Candlewood Suites, Value Place and, most recently, WaterWalk hotels and apartments. He also was deeply involved in aviation, which is part of what drew him to Wichita in 1967 when he was building apartments.
Vacasa acquires competitor: Portland, Oregon-based vacation rental company Vacasa has said it plans to acquire Austin, Texas-based TurnKey Vacation Rentals, one of its primary competitors. The deal will add another 6,000 listings to Vacasa’s platform, which will now have about 30,000 homes. TurnKey’s 475 employees will join Vacasa, growing its headcount to around 6,000 people. That number includes on-the-ground workers who manage and clean properties. Vacasa plans to keep TurnKey’s headquarters in Austin.
Marriott’s new global development leaders: Marriott International has named Carlton Ervin global development officer, international, and Noah Silverman as global development officer, U.S. and Canada. A 21-year veteran of the company, Ervin most recently served as chief development officer, Europe, Middle East and Africa. Silverman most recently served as chief development officer, U.S. and Canada full-service hotels, where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of the development process in the United States and Canada for the company’s luxury and premium brands. He is a 24-year veteran of the company.
Conren Land acquires Villa Kennedy in Frankfurt: German investment firm Conren Land AG has acquired the 163-room Villa Kennedy hotel in Frankfurt for a reported €95 million (US$114 million) from GEG German Estate Group. GEG is a subsidiary of DIC Asset AG, one of Germany’s largest listed property companies. GEG originally acquired the asset in 2015 for a reported €80.9 million (US$97 million). The hotel is leased to luxury operator Rocco Forte until 2024.
Eternam and Atypio acquire three French hotels: French real estate investors Eternam and operator Atypio Group have acquired a portfolio of three French hotels with 207 rooms for a reported €15 million (US$18 million) from French investment managers 123 IM, according to reporting from HVS. The full-service properties include the 76-room Mercure Tours Sud in Joue-les-Tours, the 76-room Hotel Campanile Lille and the 55-room Hotel Campanile Montesson. The assets will be operated by Atypio.
Cosi secures US$24M to fund European expansion: Berlin-based hospitality startup Cosi Group, which provides an alternative offering to short-term rental apartments and boutique hotels, has secured €20 million (US$24 million) in investment to fund its European expansion plans. The round has been led by Vienna-based real estate development firm Soravia, as well as venture capital companies and existing investors, Cherry Ventures, e-ventures, Kreos Capital and Bremke. Cosi, which has 750 units under contract and is negotiating for a further 1,500 units, is planning to use the funding injection to accelerate its expansion in Europe, launch a new brand and create a new strategic business unit.
Hyatt CEO sees ‘clear path to recovery’: Hyatt Hotels CEO Mark Hoplamazian said on CNBC on Thursday that he is bullish on a recovery in the hotel industry, driven by leisure travel, as COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available. While bookings will continue to face headwinds over the next few months, more consumers will be confident and ready to take trips, he said. Lodging for business and meeting purposes is showing signs of recovery, while some consumers are starting to put in placeholder stays for the holiday travel season later this year, Hoplamazian said.
Menin Hospitality principals sued: Miami hospitality executives Jared Galbut and Keith Menin are facing a US$4 million lawsuit related to the Bentley Hotel on Ocean Drive. A unit owner at the aparthotel has accused the Menin Hospitality principals – the same management firm that oversees the Shelborne and Mondrian hotels in South Beach – of fraud. Eleventh Circuit Judge William Thomas approved a petition from Colleen Bennett, who has owned the building at 510 Ocean Drive since 2005, to seek damages from the Bentley Condominium Association, Galbut and Menin. According to court records, Galbut, Menin and their associates became directors of the Bentley Condominium Association after JKR Bentley Properties LLC began purchasing units in 2010; in 2018 it was the largest owner. The lawsuit accuses Galbut and Menin of misleading unit owners about the need for a special assessment and diverting association funds to advance JKR Bentley’s interests. Galbut and Menin have until March 15 to file a legal response to Thomas’ decision. The case is expected to be tried in May.
Accor’s COVID testing: Accor will now provide COVID-19 testing options to leisure guests and groups across all Accor-managed hotels in the U.S. and Canada. Starting this month, guests can purchase testing kits at all Accor-managed hotels in the U.S. and Canada. The kits have an in-app wellness and symptom survey, FDA-approved Bluetooth smart thermometer and FDA-authorized COVID-19 self-collection diagnostic PCR test that provides results in 24-48 hours.
Deutsche’s testing strategy for employees: Frankfurt-based Deutsche Hospitality will offer free rapid COVID testing for all its front-line staff. A weekly nasal swab or saliva specimen test will be made available to around 3,500 staff who work for the group’s brands represented in Germany – Steigenberger Hotels & Resorts, MAXX by Steigenberger, Jaz in the City and IntercityHotel. Hotel guests will also be able to acquire the tests at the reception. The project will be launched over the next two weeks.
Union launches “COVID Hotel Grade” website: The Southern California hotel workers’ union has launched a new website, “COVIDHotelGrade.org” to alert Los Angeles County hotel guests which hotels have key guarantees in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The site lists a number of top southern California hotels and assigns them letter grades based on whether the following are in place: Enforceable COVID-19 safety rights; health coverage for workers; and enforceable recall rights for workers, among other concerns.